In this week’s interview, Great Dyke News 24 Editor Moses Charedzera (MC) talks to FC Platinum Spokesperson ChidoChizondo (CC) who got infected with covid-19 in the run up to the Christmas holiday last year.
Her big message is that covid-19 is not a death sentence and once you get it do not panic.
MC: When did you fall ill with covid-19?
CC: I got sick on the eve of Christmas and I didn’t realise I had covid-19. I just was not feeling okay. A little after Christmas the FC Platinum team was supposed to travel to Tanzania, that’s actually why I got tested in the first place.
MC: How long had you been feeling the symptoms?
CC: I think I felt them around the 22nd, 23rd and when I then got tested that’s when I found out I was positive.
MC: What did you do when you received the results?
CC: They phoned me and told me that I had tested positive for covid-19. My family members were not around me at that timebecause when I got sick before Christmas, I immediately put myself into self isolation because I wasn’t sure what it was, I just thought I am sick this will most likely be covid-19, so let mejust keep them out of harm’s way.
Because I had already put myself in self isolation, they were in a better position. From an isolation perspective I had my own bedroom with my own facilities in there, so it made life easier.
MC: What medication did you take?
CC: The only thing that I was given by the doctor was obviously the zinc and the vitamins because by the time I got tested I was already over the worst. So I was recovering and there was no need to put me on any antibiotic. So, the most I did was take the vitamin supplements and I also got prednisolone which was assisting me with my breathing.
MC. Did you use home therapies apart from medical drugs?
CC: Of course, everyone would like to use home therapies, that is steaming. I did that.
MC: How long did you take to recover? Was your husband infected?
CC: It took me about a week. By the time I got tested for covid-19 I had already suffered from the disease and recovered without treatment. My husband didn’t test positive. He was negative, can you imagine? He was staying with someone with covid-19.
MC. What advice can you give to others who get covid-19?
Covid is not a death sentence. I think we need people to get the right type of awareness, to get that awareness out there to ensure that people do not panic when they test positive for covid-19.So, my advice when you do get covid-19 is you haven’t been sentenced to death. Just live your life as possibly as you can.
Yes, it’s not normal to be that sick but you can get over that bridge if you get the doctors that are assisting you. I was privileged to have doctors checking on me now and again which I know is not the reality with most people.
But the best thing they can do for themselves is not panic. Do not allow that panic to turn into fear which I think is the position that a lot of people are usually in.
